Both sides started off slowly in the contest, with the Hoyas only managing two shots, including one on goal, in the first 45 minutes of play.
“The first half was certainly a game between two tired teams,” Head Coach Dave Nolan said. “You could see it was both teams’ third game in five days. It was like a boxing match where nobody threw a punch.”
South Florida focused its efforts in the first half on stopping the Big East rookie of the week, freshman forward Ingrid Wells, who entered the game with 19 points on the season. Throughout much of the first half Wells found herself covered, and when she did have possession of the ball, another Bulls defender quickly came over to help defend.
With Wells virtually taken out of the offense, the Hoyas struggled to produce and found themselves in a scoreless tie at halftime. Nolan spent the intermission making adjustments for the second half that would enable his team to get Wells involved and get something going offensively.
As it has done all season, Georgetown used Nolan’s halftime adjustments and came out firing. With Wells now playing on the left side of the field, the Hoyas struck early.
In the 49th minute of play, Wells received the ball on the left side and, before she could be double-teamed, sent a pass to Zare, who tapped it to senior forward Sara Jordan. Jordan received the ball four yards from the net and easily beat sophomore goalkeeper allori Lofton-Malachi to give the Hoyas a 1-0 lead.
“In the second half we moved [Wells] to the left where she could isolate her man-marker one v. one and she did,” Nolan said. “In the first seven minutes of the second half, before they figured what was happening, we scored two goals on two great serves from Ingrid.”
The second assist for Wells came two minutes later when she crossed a pass from left to right to Zare, whose shot to the far post beat Lofton-Malachi for her fifth goal of the season.
“I’m not really the one creating the chances,” Zare said of her recent offensive explosion. “The girls up top are doing a great job of creating the chances, and I’m just doing the easy part of putting it in the back of the net.”
Zare has eight points in the last three games for Georgetown on two goals and two assists.
“I always tell her she should be scoring more goals with her ability,” Nolan said. “But she is definitely a player you want on your field in the big games. I wish I could get her more rest right now in games, but I can’t take her off the field. Not only does she help us offensively, but on set pieces she helps us defensively.”
The two goals are all Georgetown would need as the defense tightened behind the strong play of senior defender Vanessa Joyce and senior goalkeeper Jade Higgins, who recorded her 19th shutout in her career. Joyce was charged with the unenviable task of defending South Florida’s speedy junior midfielder Lindsay Brauer. Brauer, who leads the Bulls with four goals this season, did not get a shot off the entire game.
“We talked before the game about confidence in our decisions and communicating a lot more,” Zare said. “Our backline really talked it up a lot and did a great job holding it together.”
Helping Joyce defensively was junior defender Nicole Smith who has been a strong force for the Hoyas all season. Smith, described by Nolan as the team’s unsung hero, has played in all 17 games this season and has started all nine conference games.
“Nicole doesn’t show up in a lot of the statistical areas, but if we kept the statistic of minutes played and not giving up the ball, not giving it to the other team, then she would lead our team and probably the entire Big East,” Nolan said. “We all appreciate it, but sometimes she doesn’t get the credit she deserves because she’s the quiet hero.”
The Hoyas will need all their heroes to step up today as they face a tough Cincinnati team that is fighting to keep its season alive. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. today on North Kehoe Field.